Arlington Center - Arlington, MA Area Guide

Founded in 1635 as part of the town of Cambridge, Arlington Center was originally called Metonomy, after the Algonquin word for "swift running water". It became the city of Arlington Center in 1807.

Arlington Center’s proximity to Mill Brook allowed the milling industry to flower. Old Schwamb Mill, which still exists today, was one of the primary locations for this activity.

During the Revolutionary War, Paul Revere rode through Arlington Center to warn residents of the approaching British army. An early battle also claimed the lives of many local residents, who visitors can honor at the Jason Russell House.

Over the year, Arlington Center has housed many famous dwellers, among them musician Herb Reed from the Platters, and Samuel Wilson, a meatpacker who became the model for our country's well-known icon, Uncle Sam. Other notable residents of Arlington Center include essayist Sven Bikerts, former Massachusetts governor John Quincy Adams Brackett and actress Olympia Dukakis. Like many New England suburbs, Arlington Center hasn’t had much cultural change over the years. Its families have stayed put, for the most part, and enjoy the high quality of life the city affords. As the tech hub of Boston has grown and extended into the suburbs, Arlington Center has also grown.

This neighborhood plays host to several museums, among them the Cyrus Dallin Art Museum, the Arlington Historical Society and the Jason Russell House.

Given Arlington Center’s comparatively small size, while it does boast a modest arts scene, a quick drive to nearby Boston or Belmont can provide more options in movies, theater, art and crafts. Arlington Children’s Theatre hosts an annual Ten-Minute Play Festival each October, and every holiday season, First Lights festival, where local businesses compete to see who wins Best Window Decorations.

This area sports restaurants catering to every possible taste. One of the standouts includes Blue Ribbon BBQ, which locals have consistently voted one of the Best of Boston. From the Kansas City burnt ends to the Jamaican jerked chicken, this spot has barbecue covered. Locals suggest leaving room for dessert, since they also stock a mouthwatering selection of homemade pies and fruit cobblers.

Toraya, a traditional Japanese bistro, also keeps locals coming back for their donburi and noodles, sushi and sashimi. Fresher than fresh, they creatively combine ingredients for light lunches or more filling dinners.

If you’re looking for something a little more classic, Tryst presents American comfort food classed up with a well-edited wine and specialty cocktails list. Small plates like crispy calamari and kale and Brussels sprout salad are perfectly balanced with an eclectic wine list chosen mostly of French, Italian, German and New Zealand origins. That the place is nearly always rented out for private parties says it all.

The Regent Theatre, just off Medford Street, has live music shows from Elvis to Jesus Christ Superstar. Family sing-alongs, films and comedy nights round out the offerings, making this venue perfect for anyone's night out.

Arlington Center itself doesn't have nightclubs, but nearby Cambridge and Boston both have options for those inclined to go dancing on a Friday or Saturday night.

Arlington Center residents usually get around by car, partly because of high volumes of traffic, and partly because the area’s colder weather begins in late September and carries through the early parts of March,.

For those seeking public transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) provides bus routes that run through Arlington Center, and residents can very easily get a cab by calling Cambridge Cab. Uber also operates in Arlington Center.

The parking situation in Arlington Center can be tricky around rush hour, but most other times, residents can easily find cheap parking. Drivers to Boston and other nearby cities can connect on the easily accessible major routes: 2, 2A, 3 and 60.

Arlington Center, as the area’s primary business district, is very walkable. Cyclists consider biking safe, even though the city has so far declined to install bike lanes.

Go to Spy Pond to visit Arlington Center’s primary park. Located along a kettle hole pond created by a receding glacier, this pristine, 103-acre preserved natural space attracts loungers, exercisers and those looking to take a break from their workdays.

Perhaps most famous for resident Mother Batherick’s efforts to imprison six fleeing Redcoats in this area, Spy Pond has since been a source of Cambridge’s water, a training camp for the Union Army during the Civil War and an industrial center during the 19th century.

Spy Pond welcomes exercises classes, walkers and joggers, as well as children and dogs. Water enthusiasts can rent canoes and kayaks.

An annual Spy Pond Fun and Work Day allows residents and visitors a chance to give back. Crafts and games for kids are interspersed with environmental tutorials, live music and a little weeding and cleaning up on the shoreline.

A typical one-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,300 per month, slightly lower than neighboring Arlington Heights, but don't expect the cost of food and entertainment prices to be much different from surrounding areas. Arlington Center’s cost of living is, overall, higher than that of other areas of Arlington, but it is lower than Boston’s average.

Although Arlington Center doesn’t have much in the way of chains or high-end shopping, it does feature small boutiques like Helena’s, selling fashionable women’s clothing, and Wild Child, offering children’s clothing, baby gear and furniture.

Most locals shop for groceries at chain stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Stop & Shop, but residents can find other types of groceries, such as Greek and other European foods, at Christo’s Fruit Market. A bustling Arlington Farmers Market happens on Wednesdays in the Russell Common parking lot from June to October.